Hermetically sealed fluid agitator



Feb. 22, 1955 w. w. KAY 2,702,693

HERMETICALLY SEALED FLUID AGITATOR Filed DEC. 17, 1951 /'P OSCILLATING MOTOR I E Q J In Q55 0 H I! G z o H 5 M A g f 5 N N 5 l K INVENTOR.

WILLIAM W. KAY

BY a /212M ATTORNEYS United States Patent HERMETICALLY SEALED FLUID AGITATOR William W. Kay, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Parke, Davis & Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application December 17, 1951, Serial No. 261,964

3 Claims. (Cl. 259-117) The invention relates to hermetically sealed fluid agitators and forms a continuation-in-part of my pending application Serial No. 782,428 on Method and Apparatus for Producing Vaccines, filed October 27, 1947, now Patent No. 2,595,793, dated May 6, 1952. The subject matter of this former application for patent was a method and apparatus for subjecting vaccine material to irradiation by ultraviolet rays. In order to maintain an exactly predetermined time of exposure to the rays, the fluid material was propelled through a conduit past the irradiating means by differential air pressure. Inasmuch, however, as the vaccine material was a liquid having solid particles in suspension therein, it was necessary to provide agitating means for maintaining substantially uniform viscosity in the fluid passing through the conduit. For this purpose the apparatus included a container for the vaccine material and from which it was discharged through the conduit, said container having stirrers therein for maintaining the fluid in constant agitation. However, it was essential to hermetically seal this container to avoid contaminating contact with the external atmosphere and to prevent change in the differential air pressure.

The subject matter of the instant application is this hermetically sealed agitator which, in addition to its use in the vaccine apparatus, may also be useful for other purposes. The invention therefore consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing the agitator apparatus is shown in vertical section, partly in elevation.

A is a container of any suitable construction which, as shown, has a contracted neck portion B with a closure C therein. D is an air inlet conduit passing through the closure C and preferably having a filter E therein. F is the outlet conduit for the fluid which has a portion passing through the closure C connected by a flexible tube G with a downwardly extending tube H, which latter has a flexible tube I at its lower end extending adjacent to the bottom of the container. Extending centrally through the closure C is a tubular bearing J for a shaft K and the lower end of the latter is connected to a yoke L. M and M are arms pivotally attached to opposite end portions of the yoke L and carrying at their lower ends stirrer blades N. The yoke L is restricted in length, so that it together with the arms M and M and blades N may be entered through the neck B of the container when the closure C is removed. A spring 0 or other resilient means is connected to the yoke and the arms M and M and functions to spread said arms when within the container. The outer end of the shaft K is coupled with any suitable oscillator mechanism diagrammatically indicated at P, and which may be similar to that used for a windshield wiper being supported by any suitable mounting (not shown).

With the construction as thus far described, there would be danger of leakage of air between the shaft K and tubular bearing I which might contaminate the contents of the container and alter the air pressure therein. This would be particularly true in case the pressure within the container is below that of the external atmosphere. I have therefore provided means for maintaining a hermetic seal between the shaft K and bearing I, which consists of a flexible tube Q having one end tightly fitting the shaft and the other end overlapping and tightly fitting the tubular bearing I. The annular movement of the shaft by the oscillator P is less than a complete revolution and need not be more than 90". Thus the flexibility and resilience of the member Q will permit such oscillation without disturbing the sealing contact with either the shaft or the hearing.

In use, fluid in the container is passed through the con 2,702,693 Patented Feb. 22, 1955 duits I, H and G into the conduit F either by suction in the conduit F or by positive air pressure entering the container above the fluid therein through the conduit D. The rate of flow through the conduit F is determined by the differential air pressures. The shaft K is actuated by the oscillator P to impart a limited angular movement of the yoke L, arms M and M and blades N. This will maintain the fluid in constant agitation suflicient to hold the solid particles in suspension in the liquid. Consequently, the fluid which passes outward into the conduit F is maintained at substantially uniform viscosity.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An agitator for sterile fluids having solid particles in suspension therein, comprising a container having an opening of smaller diameter than the body portion thereof, a closure for said opening, a tubular bearing extending through said closure, a rotatively oscillatory shaft passing through said bearing, a pair of stirrer blades within said container pivotally connected to the inner end of said shaft to be movable towards each other into a position for passing into said container when said closure is removed, resilient means for spreading said blades when within the container, a resilient flexible sleeve surrounding and extending between adjacent portions of said shaft and tubular bearing, tightly fitting said portions to form a hermetic seal for the container and actuating means external to said container, the resiliency of said sleeve permitting oscillation of said shaft without breaking the seal or movement of said tightly fitting portions relative to the surfaces engaged thereby.

2. A hermetically sealed liquid agitator comprising a container for the liquid having an upwardly extending neck portion, a stopper engaging said neck portion, a tube extending through said stopper terminating above the same and having a cylindrical inner surface forming a bearing, a shaft extending through said tube and having an outer cylindrical bearing surface rotatively engaging said inner bearing surface, stirring means within said container connected to the inner end of said shaft, an oscillating motor connected to the outer end of said shaft to rotatively oscillate said shaft in its bearing less than 360, and a resilient flexible sleeve having one end tightly engaging the end of said tube and the other end tightly engaging the adjacent outer surface of said shaft thereby permitting the limited oscillation of said tube and shaft by the flexing of said sleeve while maintaining a fluid tight seal between the relatively moving parts.

3. A hermetically sealed liquid agitator comprising a container for the liquid having an upwardly extending neck portion, a stopper engaging said neck portion, an inlet tube extending through said stopper, an outlet tube extending through said stopper, a tube connected to said outlet tube and extending adjacent the bottom of the container, a tube extending centrally through said stopper having a cylindrical inner surface forming a bearing, a shaft extending through said tube and having an outer cylindrical bearing surface rotatively engaging said inner surface, a pair of stirring blades within said container pivotally connected to the inner end of said shaft to be movable towards each other into a position for passing into said container when said closure is removed, resilient means for spreading said blades when within the container, an oscillating motor connected to the outer end of said shaft to rotatively oscillate said shaft in its bearing less than 360, and a resilient flexible sleeve having one end tightly engaging the end of said tube above said stopper and the other end tightly engaging the adjacent outer surface of said shaft thereby permitting the limited oscillation of said tube and shaft by the flexing of said sleeve while maintaining a fluid tight seal between the relatively oscillating parts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

